The Transition From Middle to High School

Ways to Ensure Student Retention and Building School Community

Dec 30, 2008

The trauma of high school for incoming freshmen can be greatly alleviated by instituting programs that acclimate new students to the senior institution.

One of the biggest problems associated with the transition from middle school to high school involves both the trauma experienced by incoming freshmen, as well as the need to acclimate these new students in such a way as to avoid future student attrition. Overall high school retention rates and fewer students dropping out in later years may be rooted in this first critical year. There are many possible solutions in making the transition meaningful.

Middle School and High School Communication

An ongoing dialogue must exist between middle schools and high schools. This includes inter-faculty seminars designed to help middle school teachers more easily prepare their students for the high school experience as well as administrative liaisons to map out smooth transitions through bureaucratic policies.

Middle school students should spend one or more days touring the high school with their teachers, meeting high school teachers and becoming acquainted with the facility before the first day of school. Such orientations or “student open houses” help alleviate first day fears and ease anxieties relative to navigation of the actual campus.

The Role of Summer Camp Programs

High schools that facilitate summer camp programs should consider either incorporating middle school students into already existing programs or developing new camps specifically attuned to in coming freshmen. While athletic camps are already popular, camps in band, chorus, debate, and drama will enable students with specific areas of interest to begin to develop relationships with the programs and students that share those interests.

Depending on the size of the school, pairing incoming freshmen with juniors makes much sense. A high school “big brother and big sister” program allows freshman to be modeled by older, responsible students that can answer questions or give helpful hints in surviving the first weeks of high school. Additionally, these peer mentors can observe any abnormal trends in individual students during the adjustment and may serve as a deterrent to bullying or upper class hazing.

Such a program might work well during the first eight weeks of the school semester. Following that period, the program can continue in scaled down fashion by assigning one or more upper class students to individual freshmen homerooms, assuming the school facilitates a traditional homeroom period. Using responsible students also assists teachers, particularly since freshmen with concerns may be reluctant to seek out a counselor or teacher.

The Academy Concept

Some school systems have adopted an academy concept, which is a school within a school. Freshmen are kept in one section of the overall high school facility, mainstreaming slowly into the general school population over time. Much like “junior high school,” the academy approach allows freshmen to acclimate themselves into the greater school community in stages. Some universities do this with freshmen as well. Duke University, for example, has freshmen dorms in a totally different part of the campus.

Freshman Teaching Assignments

Too often, the most experienced and credentialed teachers are assigned the coveted upper level classes while new teachers or less experienced teachers receive lower level postings. If building a school community toward goals of larger retention levels is an objective, freshmen teachers should be the most experienced. At the very least, some freshmen classes should be taught by seasoned veteran teachers with a resume of successful instruction.

It is understood that many upper level classes like the Advanced Placement or IB courses require the highest level of teacher competency, yet schools wishing to lower drop out rates should consider balanced instructing that includes dispersing top talent to include freshman classes.

Transitioning from middle school to high school represents a quintessential moment in the life of a teenager. School systems need to address programs that make this experience meaningful with an outcome that significantly reduces attrition rates.

The copyright of the article The Transition From Middle to High School in Middle/High School is owned by Michael Streich. Permission to republish The Transition From Middle to High School in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.